The Grand Ball Room of the Oriental Hotel in Lagos was the setting for an evening of glamour, celebration and charitable giving as Africa Magic hosted the inaugural Tinsel Charity Ball.

The charity ball was the culmination of a recent charity drive by the cast of Tinsel, Sub-Saharan Africa’s longest running and most successful soap opera, and followed visits by the cast to the Hearts of Gold Hospice and the Shelter for Abused Women and Children (SAWAC), both charity organisations in Lagos.

Speaking at the event, the Director, M-Net (West Africa), said: “Africa Magic has consistently been at the forefront of developing the Nigerian entertainment industry, and we have recorded a number of successes, including Tinsel which is the most watched drama series in Nigeria. We however recognise that Tinsel and indeed Africa Magic would not be the successes that they are today without the tremendous support we have received over the years and continue to receive till this day. It is in light of this that the cast of Tinsel recently visited the Hearts of Gold Hospice in Surulere and the Shelter for Abused Women and Children in Lekki. Tonight’s charity ball is the inaugural edition and is in furtherance of these visits, and we believe it is the first of many.“

Founded in 2007, SAWAC is a Non-Governmental -Organisation whose mission is to provide shelter and support services for abused women and children and raise awareness of all types of abuse, advocate for social, political and legal changes needed to eliminate oppression and violence against women and children. The Hearts of Gold Children’s Hospice was founded to cater to special children who otherwise have no place to go. The Hospice provides expert palliative care for the children in a healthy, relaxing environment, and provides assistance to the medical professionals who contribute to the ever increasing number of children with special needs in their care.

Tuesday’s Charity Ball featured a black carpet whilst the night’s event was hosted by ace broadcaster and Television show host, IK Osakioduwa. The event which coincided with the celebration of Nigeria’s 55th independence anniversary also saw a number of personalities pledging sums of money for the identified charities.

The highlight of the event was however Africa Magic’s donation of N1, 615, 000 to each of the two charities, with sum being a reference to the number of Tinsel episodes aired by that date.

Whilst making the donation, Mba-Uzoukwu said: “it is our hope that after this event, a lot of the people present and in our immediate society will begin to care a bit more about the less privileged and less fortunate in society.”

For more information on how you can support the Hearts of Gold Children’s Hospice, please visit www.hoghospice.org. To support the Shelter for Abused Women and Children, kindly visit www.shelter.sawac.org.

To find out more about Africa Magic channels, Tinsel and other programmes, please visit www.africamagic.tv.

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As a director, I am a disciplinarian. I have no room for posers. If you want to pose, you go somewhere else. I am not interested in the star, I am interested in the artist. I am interested in the person who will do the job.